NetBeans Platform Learning Trail

What is the NetBeans Platform?

The NetBeans Platform is a broad Swing-based framework on which you can base large desktop applications. The IDE itself is based on the NetBeans Platform. The Platform contains APIs that simplify the handling of windows, actions, files, and many other things typical in applications.

Each distinct feature in a NetBeans Platform application can be provided by a distinct NetBeans module, which is comparable to a plugin. A NetBeans module is a group of Java classes that provides an application with a specific feature.

You can also create new modules for NetBeans IDE itself. For example, you can write modules that make your favorite cutting-edge technologies available to users of NetBeans IDE. Alternatively, you might create a module to provide an additonal editor feature.

Getting Started

NetBeans Plugin Quick Start NetBeans Platform Quick Start NetBeans Platform Porting Tutorial

Tutorials and Articles

New! NetBeans 6.5 Release Candidate Tutorials and Guides

NetBeans Plugin Quick Start Quick Search Integration Tutorial Code Generator Integration Tutorial File Type Integration Tutorial The other tutorials on this page should work more or less correctly for NetBeans IDE 6.5 Release Candidate. They will all be tested prior to the final release of NetBeans IDE 6.5.

Applications Built on the NetBeans Platform

Paint Application Tutorial Feed Reader Tutorial

NetBeans APIs for Developing or Extending an Editor

File Type Integration Tutorial Java Language Infrastructure Tutorial Code Snippet Module Tutorial Editor Component Palette Module Tutorial Visual Library Tutorial XML Editor Extension Module Tutorial Hyperlink Tutorial

NetBeans APIs for Selection Management

Part 1: Selection Management Tutorial Part 2: Selection Management Tutorial II—Using Nodes Part 3: Nodes API Tutorial Part 4: Property Editor API Tutorial

Miscellaneous NetBeans APIs

System Properties Module Tutorial Options Window Module Tutorial Project Type Extension Module Tutorial Project Sample Module Tutorial File Template Module Tutorial

Screencasts

Demo: NetBeans Visual Library

All Screencasts

Sample Applications

Rich Client Programming Book Samples RSS Feed Reader Paint

All Sample Applications

Community-Contributed Docs

A Visual Datbase Explorer for NetBeans, by Toni Epple DDL Visualizer: Visualize SQL Script with NetBeans, by Damir Tesanovic Customize the Splash Screen and About Dialog, by Tonny Kohar Create the 'Most Recently Used Files' List, by Tonny Kohar Translate Your NetBeans Module, by Michel Graciano Quick Start: Creating Language Tools In NetBeans IDE, by Jordi R. Cardona

All Community-Contributed Docs

Other Resources

Official NetBeans Platform Resources

NetBeans API Javadoc Latest NetBeans API Changes

Online Magazine Articles

Creating Extensible Applications With the Java Platform How to Create a Pluggable Photo Album in Java How to Create Visual Applications in Java? How to Add Resize Functionality to Visual Applications in Java? Creative Uses of the Visual Library NetBeans Platform Development with Maven and Mevenide

NetBeans Platform Blogs

Geertjan's Blog

NetBeans Platform Books

"Rich Client Programming: Plugging into the NetBeans Platform"